Cleveland’s pressure defense spells doom for Carlsbad
Storm stays unbeaten with home victory
RIO RANCHO — The difference between Carlsbad and Cleveland was 14 points.
But the Storm’s 68-54 boys basketball victory Friday night over the Cavemen had a far more noteworthy disparity: turnovers. Remarkably, in a 32-minute game, Cleveland (3-0) forced Carlsbad (1-1) — last season’s state runner-up to Rio Rancho — into 33 turnovers.
The Storm only turned it over nine times.
“We knew they’d graduated some guards,” Storm coach Sean Jimenez said of Carlsbad, “but it really doesn’t matter who we play. We’re gonna pressure the whole time. If there is a team that can handle our pressure for four quarters, more power to them.”
Super quick, extremely athletic and at least 10 deep, Cleveland hounded a bigger Carlsbad lineup into 10 giveaways in the opening quarter and led 22-12.
“We didn’t want them to get the ball into their inside players, so we decided to pressure the ball harder,” said Storm sophomore shooting guard Jalen Munn.
In the first half, Carlsbad’s talented 6-foot-9 senior post, Brenden Boatwright, who has signed with Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo., helped get the Cavemen back into the game. He scored his team’s first 12 points of the second quarter and Carlsbad led 34-30 at halftime.
But while Carlsbad survived the slow start of the first quarter, the Cavemen did not survive another bad stretch to start the second half.
In the first three minutes of the third quarter, Cleveland exploded on an 18-2 run. Jayden Phillips had five points, including a 3-pointer, and Munn added another two layups, both directly off Carlsbad turnovers in the backcourt.
“They’re a whole lot quicker than what you think they are,” Carlsbad coach Jamaal Brown said. “Cleveland turned up the intensity and we just didn’t do a good job of slowing down the tempo.”
Then Brown took his analysis a step further.
“If there’s a more athletic team in this state than Cleveland, I’m afraid to see them,” he said. “To me, that’s the best team I’ve see in the state so far.” The Storm certainly is pleased. “I think we’ll surprise a lot of teams,” senior point guard Marcus Hill said. “A lot of people are doubting us.”
Munn led Cleveland with 19 points. Jayden Phillips added 16 points and 6-6 Tyrique Weaver made his Storm debut with 10 points. He also was a force at the defensive end, blocking shots, including a crowd-pleasing swat against Boatwright early in the game.
Carlsbad (1-1) was making a singlegame trip; the Cavemen were unable to find a second opponent today.
That’s 600 miles round trip for 90 minutes of basketball, but Brown knew the time spent was not in vein. While Carlsbad’s size —Boatwright, who scored 25 points including five dunks, and 6-5 senior forward Chris Johnson, who added 14 points — will be problematic for everyone it plays, the backcourt needs seasoning, and Brown knows a night like Friday has its benefits.
“Our guards will definitely get better during the season,” he said.
HOPE CHRISTIAN 78, RIO GRANDE
55: At Rio Grande, Marcus Medina and Nelson Longmire combined for 45 points for the Huskies (2-0), who outscored the Ravens 22-2 in the first quarter. ALBUQUERQUE HIGH 49, PIEDRA VISTA 27: In Farmington, the Bulldosgs put the defensive screws to the
Panthers, while guards Jai Douglas and Randy Castillo scored 12 points apiece. DEL NORTE 79, BERNALILLO 63: In Bernalillo, Elijah Hogan had a teambest 17 points as the Knights (3-1) beat the Spartans (1-2). ST. PIUS 54, ALAMOGORDO 52: Brennan Myers led the Sartans (2-0) with 15 points as they held off a late comeback by the Tigers. Girls
WEST MESA 55, LOS LUNAS 44: At West Mesa, the Mustangs (3-1) posted a solid home win over the visiting Tigers (1-5). Esperanza Varoz, who had scoring nights of 28 and 29 points already this week, led West Mesa with 17. CARLSBAD 33, CLEVELAND 17: In Gallup, sophomore guard Carsyn Boswell led the Cavegirls (5-0) with 14 points in the semifinals of the Gallup tournament. SANDIA PREP 59, POJOAQUE VALLEY 45: At Sandia Prep, senior guard Madie Trainor poured in a game-high 26 points for the Sundevils (3-3). DEL NORTE 57, BERNALILLO 15: At Del Norte, Chira Noce had a team-high 15 points and was one of four Knights in double figures as Del Norte (1-2) routed the visiting Spartans.